The Patriot’s Voice has been consistent in presenting facts about the total disrespect for the taxpaying public by local school boards and their districts administrators, teachers and the teachers union (PSEA).

Central’s case, a house sale to a teacher employed by the district, is just one, in the many, that rarely make it to public light. This case is unique in that a window opened to the public; giving them the opportunity to see first hand what the members of The Patriot's Voice endures with school board confrontation in our quest for accountability.

The public is treated to the type of arrogance displayed when questionable and often time’s illegal dealings are done and they are publicly exposed. This case, the public should be outraged as Central’s top administrator, Superintendent Harry Mathias blatantly calls a sitting judge, Columbia County President Judge Scott W. Naus, a liar, with half-truths, as he accuses the judge of making things up.

The judge wrote, “This is at best poor judgment and at worst unfair dealing. The letter of the law may have been followed in this case, but the spirit and purpose of open and public governance was not.”

A couple of weeks ago, at a hearing Mathias testified that Central Business Administrator, David Shipe was not involved in the sale of the house. Then how is it that Shipe’s signature appears on the Lease and Option Agreement? Interest in the house of question was expressed to the district by real estate agent Vince DeMelfi and the district failed to give him or the public notice that the property was up for sale. To us, this is, as Judge Naus concluded, “… was not in the taxpayers’ interest.”

Our hats are off to Vince DeMelfi for exposing this issue and bringing light to the persistent truth about how school board members are, more often than not, sitting in a position of rubberstamping questionable and sometimes illegal dealings by district administrators. We have been telling the public for the last four years that this sort of behavior exists in all our local school districts.

Perhaps, this case will open some formerly closed eyes in the public sector to see a now self evident truth, but, then again, maybe not, it seems the public memory is very short.